These are golfers who value an empty course more than they value a warm bed, and that is why they are standing at the first tee at dark o'clock. They don't mind if they can't yet see the flag, and they don't mind ice in winter and fog in summer, or wearing their mud shoes year-round in the wet grass that gives them the nickname.

What dew sweepers do mind is having to wait while a golfer in front lollygags on the green or having to duck when a golfer behind hollers "fore" down the fairway.

"Every clubhouse in the country has a group like us," says Andy Cresci, who can be found in the parking lot at the Palo Alto Golf Course every Friday at 5:30 a.m. to join a group of high school pals from the 1950s. "We are not unique."

There is a Dew Sweepers Golf School, a "Dewsweepers" talk radio show, and Cresci, for one, would like to see a dew sweepers reality show on the Golf Channel, maybe in the 4 a.m. slot so they can get inspired to go out. What follows are two candidates for the first season.